The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 21, July 1917 - April, 1918 Page: 45
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Mississippi and the Independence of Texas 45
The letter is dated Natchez, April 18, 1836, and is as follows:
I have arrived here (from Natchitoches) in compliance with
my engagement to General Felix Huston, to transport as many
of his friends to Nachitoches as may feel disposed to lend a hand
to our suffering friends who emigrated thither.26
From a communication of Thos. J. Green, brigadier-general in
the Texan army, it appears that HIuston expected to start from
Natchez on May 7, to be followed some ten days later by Gen-
eral H. S. Foote.27 His start was actually made on May 3, his
party going by way of the Red River. IHe was escorted to the
landing by the "Fencibles," one of the military organizations of
Natchez, and accompanied by a number of volunteers, but just
how many it is impossible to state.28 According to his own ac-
count he did not arrive at the army until July 4. From this it
is evident that when Huston arrived upon the scene, his military
services were no longer needed so far as the actual independence
of Texas was concerned, since that had been won by Houston and
his men several months earlier. The same thing was true of Mis-
sissippi's foremost champion perhaps in the cause of Texas,-Gen-
eral John A. Quitman who, with his command, had the ill luck to
arrive just a few days too late for the battle of San Jacinto.
The time of Huston's arrival coincided with the quarrel be-
tween the civil and military authorities of the new government.
Nor did a much happier state of affairs prevail in the army.
T. J. Golightly, one of those who went out with Quitman, writ-
ing to him from the camp. in the neighborhood of La Bahia, states
that for thirteen days the army had had nothing to eat but beef;
after giving an account of the movements of the army during the
latter part of May and the first week in June, he concludes with
this statement: "There is much dissatisfaction in the army in
relation to the acts or rather I would hope ideal prepossessions of
the cabinet on the subject of the disposition of the prisoners."29
Now that the Mexicans had been repelled, interest centered
chiefly around the command of the army, and as always happens
"0Natchez Daily Courier in Woodville Republican, April 23, 1836.
27Ibid., May 7, 1836; Memphis Enquirer, May 18, 1836.
"8Weekly Courier and Journal. May 5, 1837.
2"MS. Claiborne Correspondence.
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 21, July 1917 - April, 1918, periodical, 1918; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101073/m1/51/: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.